Mail-bag



(No Model.)

W. BRUBAKER. MAIL BAG" Patented Oct. 16,1894.

M MW 7 L, ,1 V I L 1. Ew Q w I x x @I/O wm/ 1 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

W'I LIAM BRUBAKER, OFSTOYESTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA.

MAIL-BAG.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 527,402, dated October 16, 1894.

Application filed July 5,1894. Serial No. 516,637. (No model.)

T0 at whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, WILLIAM BRUBAKER, of Stoyestown, in the county of Somerset and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mail-Bags; and I do hereby declare the following tobe a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use it, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification.

My invention relates to an improved mail bag; and the object of the same is to provide an improved manner of holding the bag at its upper end whereby the same is completely and securely closed; and a further object of the invention is to provide the bag with an improved locking device.

The invention consists in the novel features of construction hereinafter fully described and claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which-- Figure 1 is a perspective view of the bag. Fig. 2 is a sectional plan View of the same when closed. Fig.3 is an elevation of the lock with the inner side removed.

A designates the body of the bag having the slots 13 arranged in corresponding series upon its back and front near the upper end, and secured between the upper edges of the back and front are the side laps or folds O which fold inward as shown and which are provided with slots D similar in character to slots B for the passage of the locking staples E which are secured as shown to the inner side of flap G. When the bag is closed the said flap is adapted to fold over its upper edge and down over its front side with the said staples projected through slots B of the bag and D of the flaps or folds and through the slots in the rear side of the bagto the lock H.

The frame of the lock is secured to the bag by its inner plate I which is formed with a suitable number of slots to receive the locking staples. The locking frame extends across the bag as shown and is provided with a series of staple compartments J which are formed by partitions K and into these compartments the staples E are extended where they are engaged by the spring actuated and beveled bolts L. The springs for the bolts are arranged between the adjacent partitions of the compartments and enlargements M on the bolts, the springs being coiled about the bolts as shown so that the latter are held normally projected into the said staple compartments. From the inner side of each bolt projectsa pin N and movable longitudinally through all the compartments is the bar 0 from which depend the fingers T which engage the said pins N and' the said bar is so arranged that one end may be engaged and operated by the insertible key Q, and thus moved longitudinally which in efiect moves backward all the bolts thus releasing the staples and allowing the bag to be opened. The bolt being projected normally into the staple compartments are in a locked position so thatv when the bag is closed the staples are slipped thereinto and are thus automatically locked. It will be noticed that each bolt is capable of a separate backward movement so that it is not necessary to snap all the bolts and position all the staples at the same time as the said operation may be begun at one end and continued until all of the bolts have been engaged bythe staples.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination of a mail bag, staples for holding the same closed, a lock case secured to the bag and provided with slots through which the staples pass, vertical partitions integral with the top and bottom of the case, the partitions forming spaces for confining the staples from lateral movement and provided with transverse openings, and spring actuated bolts movable through said openings, substantially as shown and described.

2. The combination with a mail bag and staples for holding the same closed, of alock case, vertical partitions therein extended from top to bottom of the caseand forming staple compartments, spring held bolts projected normally into said compartments for engaging the staples when inserted thereinto, and a means for retracting the bolts, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM BRUBAKER.

Witnesses:

JNo. H. SNYDER, J. H. BENDER. 

